Well, Barack Obama has won approval for his health plan, but only after satisfying some wavering Democrats that public money wouldn't be used to fund abortions.
Those of us in advanced civilised nations should applaud this reform in the US, and welcome them to the family of compassionate nations. Many script-writers of US medical shows will need to find new plot lines to replace the story line of the critical need patient unable to afford care.
That the reforms hinged upon the question of public funds for abortion is perhaps no sur[prise. NSW's last Australian Democrat politician, Arthur Chesterfield-Evans, attempted to make the public aware that there is no ability to get a publicly funded abortion in NSW even though the citizenry would presume this is the case. It is achieved through the manipulation by the State Government rather than by regulation.
It is a situation that needs to be rectified.
Meanwhile, we will know that the US has made it into the 21st century if Obama can pull off two other big reforms. The first would be to move to the metric system of weights and measures. The second would be gun control.
1 comment:
Hi David
I always thought the US claim as up there in the stratosphere of nations was a hollow one given the extent to which disadvantaged members are marginalised. And I like the use of your word compassion ... to my mind compassion has to come high on the agenda for a country to truly be considered amongst the most enlightened in the world.
As for the abortion debate ... while I fall into the same camp as you I thought Obama offering this concession was a small price to pay. And I say small because getting the program off the ground is the priority and tinkering, such as funding abortion, can come later. Not to mention it's always possible to implement funding for abortion via tottering baby steps ... rather than the rushing at the gate approach.
Keep up the good work. It's always a pleasure listneing to your 'rants'!
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